5 Surprising Things That Were Once Legal
Today, most people know the difference between what is legal and what isn’t. But once upon a time, things were different, and what we consider illegal today used to be legal and vice versa. We look at some shocking things you could do without legal recourse.
Child Labor
During the industrial revolutions, the demand for workers increased significantly. Although most adult men were employed, there was a significant shortage in the labor market. It’s shocking to see old pictures of kids working in mines, shipyards, and factories today. Today, it’s illegal in most countries and carries stiff penalties.
Public Executions
As brutal as they may sound, executions were considered a form of justice and deterrence. Making them public added humiliation for the condemned and served as a spectacle and deterrence for the community. Treason and espionage were two common reasons warranting executions, although political purges sometimes justified them.
Dueling
Throughout the 17th and 19th centuries, dueling was legal and common. It involved two people with equal weapons engaging in combat. Ideally, dueling wasn’t intended to be fatal but to show bravado. However, it sometimes became fatal, as in the case of the first U.S. Secretary of State, Alexander Hamilton.
Smoking on Airplanes
Cigarettes were once socially acceptable, and the dangers of secondhand smoke were not well-researched. So, smoking was allowed in enclosed spaces like airplanes. American activist Ralph Nader notably called for a ban in 1969. By the end of the 1990s, it was illegal to smoke on planes in most countries.
Drunk Driving
Early motor vehicles had no alcohol limits for drivers because the dangers of drinking and driving weren’t fully understood. It was treated as a general traffic violation even when an accident happened. Thanks to the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, DUI became a crime in the U.S. by 1988.
